★★★★½

"Can I get some hummus with that baby carrot?" 

The filled theatre I watched this in erupted into laughter and applause at this perfect one-liner. It was a small but telling moment--in a film that could have become consumed with the hatred and judgments of others (though it was definitely touched on), Love, Simon was an uplifting celebration of youth, sexuality, and the differences that make us who we are. It struck a chord with me, and maybe it was simply the little things like Simon's morning-drive-to-school playlist being practically identical to mine or having a similarly cringeworthy, overenthusiastic vice principal. I will never be able to identify with this movie the way that others will, and it's not my place claim to. But there was something so powerful about watching it--studio cinema has reached a milestone, and Love, Simon is a coming-of-age rom-com that is set up to be a future classic of its genre. 

Directed by Greg Berlanti, the film follows Simon Spier (Nick Robinson), a teenage boy in his senior year with a big secret: he's gay. But one of the film's strengths is that this fact is never disputed--Simon never once questions his sexuality throughout the film; he's gay and he knows it. He embraces it. The only problem is he has yet to tell anyone, and he doesn't quite know how to go about doing so. He has supportive parents (Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel, who each invoke many laughs and tears throughout) and a tight knit group of friends: Leah (Katherine Langford), Abby (Alexandra Shipp), and Nick (Jorge Lendeborg, Jr.). Yet, this doesn't make it any easier. Only when he begins an anonymous online correspondence with a fellow closeted classmate does Simon begin to desire more control of his life.

The movie arguably has its cheesy or predictable moments, but each one is fully embraced. It is generally a light and fluffy film for the most part, but its characters and plot also hold much more depth than the typical entry in this genre. While the film mainly focuses on Simon's internal struggles, we are also given glimpses into the pains of many of the supporting characters. Perhaps these fleshed-out characters can be attributed to the fact that the film is an adaptation of Becky Albertalli's 2015 novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, but they take on a life of their own in Love, Simon.

Every single scene in the film feels necessary, nearly everything contributing to the story's overall development--even when they were merely fantasies. The one that comes to mind in particular is Simon's pondering of why straight people don't have to come out, as he envisions all of his friends breaking the news to their parents: "Mom, Dad, I'm straight." It's this tongue-in-cheek humour combined moments of pure vulnerability and authenticity that makes this film a success.

But most importantly, the movie's tagline rings true throughout: Everyone deserves a great love story. That's exactly what Love, Simon is, and it's a successful and heartfelt one at that. The perfections outweigh the flaws, and the love always trumps the hate. I think that in itself is something to celebrate.